Artificial leg



C. DESOUTTER.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1919.

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C. DESOUTTER.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l3, I919.

- 3 8 l Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

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CHABLESDESOUTTER, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DEsoU'r'rnR, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 51 Bakerstreet, L011- don, Vi, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, of'which the following is a specification. This invention relates to artificial legs, and refers more particularly to the'means of attaching the limb to the pelvic band.

lVith the ordinary method of attachment by means of a vertical strip or connection rod attached to the pelvicgband which. connection rod has pivoted thereto the strip or the;like attached to the bucket of the leg,

I various drawbacks are apparent in practical use. I

For instance it is difiicult to move the body freely from side to side when standing or sitting or to open or move the artificial leg, and the bearer is likely to become strained or to put a'strain upon the band.

It is difficult to exchange. one form of connection rod for another and a largesupply of bands and connection rods have to be kept in stock or considerable delay is occasioned in suiting the requirements of different 'BZI-I'GI'S.

According to the general principle ofniy invention I connect the connection rodto the pelvic band in sucha way that it can be readily interchanged fora connection rod of a different size or length and so that it can rotate around a substantlally vertical axis.

I further so connect the metal band or strip carrying the attachment for the. constanding position showing an artificial leg, with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 shows a similar View to Fig. 1 illustrating the. sitting position.

Fig. 3 shows a diagram of the vertical bearing and band.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd' Apr, 6, 1

Application filed September 13, 1919. Serial No. 323,474.

of a pelvic band with my Fig. is afront elevation, and-Fig. .5; a

side elevationof one form of connection rod.

Fig.- 6 shows an enlargedview of a portion further improvements adapted thereto;

Fig. 7 the connection rod attached. v

: Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the strip and bearing laced in position in the band.

The, same letters of reference are emviews.

shows the band i and bearing for Y a is the artificial leg of any ordinary description, provided with the usual bucket. b is therod or. strip by means of which it is carried. c is the pelvic band, whichis provided in the present case with-a vertical tubular bearing (Z. I: is the connection rod, the portion 7 of which .is adapted to be insorted into and work in the tubular bearing (Z. The portion f is provided with a screw threaded end upon which a nut g is adapted to screw when the parts arein position i h is the eye plate for attachment to thev fork at the top of the member 1 1n some cases? the rodjor strip 2) may be;

formed .with the eye plate and the; end-0f the connection rod may be forked, as at-h In allvcases where found desirable, the

connection rod may. carry a forked conn'ection. 5

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the pelvic band is made up from an inner band 7', and an outer band is, sewed. together at the edges.

The band is slit as shown at m.

The bearing (Z has attached thereto the curved plates or strips y) and extending at each side of the bearing or it is formed with or mounted upon a portion of the metal band 39 g. This band pg is inserted through a slit m in the pelvic band, and the whole is then fastened in position by means of the lacing 02 thus allowing for adjustment and for replacing by another band.

Any additional padding or lining which be placed between the may be required can bands 7' and is.

The various advantages accrulng from the foregoing constructions may now be briefly examined.

It will be seen that from the connection rod c fitting into the bearing sleeveor collar-d,

tion rod of one form or size, by a connection 'rod of another form or size, it being simply necessary to unscrew the nut g to remove the connection rod 6 and to replace 1t by another connection rod 6 of the required shape and size and then to restore the nut g to its original position.

Owing to the fact that the connection rod is carried from a pivot which is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, it is possible for the wearer of the artificial'limb to have considerable freedom, as compared with wearers ofordinary artificiallimbs, as

he can turn the limb to a considerable eX- tent when it is in a vertical position, as illustrated at Fig. 2. Inthe latter case the leg can be opened out without difficulty, which is practically impossible with the ordinary constructions.

As regards the means of attachment of the bearing to the pelvic band, this also ofiers important advantages, as owing to the fact that the bearing is attached to metal strips, which are laced in position in the pelvic band it is a simple matter to change one band for another, so that a band suitable for any wearer may be adapted in a few minutes to any required bearer.

Moreover if there is any sore place made by the belt, as is often the case, with the ordinary constructions, the wearer has simply to unlace the belt and to place cotton wool or other suitable padding in the required position. Y

The belts can be made in large quantities in the first instance, thereby reducing the cost. r

It will be understood that the particular details of construction can be varied considerably without departing from'the prin-- ciple of my present invention. 1

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is 1. In combination an artificial leg having an upper leg section adapted to fit the stump of the thigh, a pelvic band or the like provided with a bearing, means for suspending the artificial leg from said band comprising,

a connection rod pivotally connected to said artificial leg at one end and mounted at its other end in said bearing for rotatable movement about a vertical axis.

2. Means for attaching the connection rod for an artificial leg to the pelvic band, consisting in attaching the bearing .or joint for the connection rod to a strip or strips which are adapted to be inserted into and laced in positionin the band, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination an artificial leg having 4:. In a device of the class described,

pelvic band having an opening therein, a bearing having a strip adapted to be inserted in said opening for attaching said bearing to said band, a connection ro'd adapted to be connected at one end to an artificial leg and at its other end connected to said bearing for rotation about a substantially vertical axis.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES DESOUTTER. 

